Safety release for clothes wringers



1941- T. J. LITLE, JR

SAFETY RELEASE FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS Filed Feb. 8, 1959 INVENTUR Fin/v45 J. LITLE, J19,

A TT URN ET Patented Nov. 4, 1941 SAFETY RELEASE FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS Thomas J. Litle, Jr., Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Easy Washing Machine Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 8, 1939, Serial No. 255,282

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a manually operated safety release device for use in connection with clothes wringers or the like, although it may be used on any machine employing a spring loaded roll running in contact with another roll or moving surface where it is desirable to unload the roll instantaneously in an emergency.

In the ordinary clothes wringer, two rolls are employed positioned one above the other. The upper roll, in most instances, is supported in freely floating bearings which allow relative movement of the rolls toward and away from each other to accommodate varying thicknesses of the clothes passing between the rolls. The upper roll is ordinarily spring loaded with means for varying the load imposed by the spring which in turn varies the pressure between the rolls for squeezing out the clothes. A common and ordinary type of spring for this purpose is a semi-elliptical spring, the ends of which bear upon the upper roll floating bearings, the middle of the spring pressing against the means for varying the spring load. A common form of such loading means is a thumb screw turning in a member fixed to the frame of the wringer, the end of the screw engaging the center of the loading spring.

When operating a power-driven wringer of such a type, the operator is exposed to the danger of having fingers, hair, or a part of the clothing caught in the wringer. It is therefore desirable to have some safety device for quickly releasing the pressure between the rolls, and this safety device is customarily associated with some mechanism for interrupting the power drive to the rolls. Such mechanism, however, is no part of the present invention, and is therefore not described herein. At present, these safety devices are in general of two classesone type having a target which is usually located at one end of the wringer head, and the other type employing a bar on each side of the wringer which, when pressed or struck anywhere along its length, operates the release. In the target type, when the target is located at one end of the wringer head, it is awkward to strike, if that hand nearest the target is caught between the rolls. For this reason, the bar type is considered the safer. The bar type, on the other hand, requires a bar on each side of the wringer since the wringers are adapted to be operated from either side. The bars require finishing and are thus fairly expensive.

; The object of my invention is to provide an easily accessible and easily operated safety release, the target of which is also used for adjusting the pressure between the rolls.

Another object of my invention is to provide a more economical and simplified construction through the combination of the safety release target with the pressure adjusting means.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from an examination of the following specification and the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine wringer employing my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical view, partly in section, with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view, partly in section, taken on line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing, H] is the frame of the wringer, I ll| are vertical ways fastened to frame [0 in which bearing blocks l2-I2 and l3l3 are slidably mounted. The lower roll I4 is suitably journaled at its ends in the blocks [2, which blocks are supported on pins I5. One journal is extended beyond its bearing I2 and is suitably connected to driving mechanism (not shown). The upper roll I! is suitably journaled at l8l8 in the floating bearing blocks I3, which blocks are free to move vertically in the ways I I A semi-elliptical spring I9 is disposed above the upper roll I! with the ends -20 of said spring resting upon the floating bearing blocks l3. Metal face plates 2l-2l are fastened to the blocks 13. The face plates 2| each have a transverse substantially rectangular aperture 22 adapted to receive loosely an end 20 of spring IS. A head 25 comprises a hollow steel stamping of a shape substantially as shown. One end of said head 25 is pivotally mounted on pin 26 which is supported in the frame H]. A cross member 21 is fastened inside the head 25, at the opposite end from pivot 26. Alatch 28 formed of a substantially channel section piece of material having a web 29 and flanges 30-30 is pivotally mounted by means of pin 3| to frame [0, below the member 21. The upper end of latch 28 is formed into a substantially wedge-shaped piece 32. The base of wedge 32 is made thicker than the web 29 and has a flat horizontal edge or shoulder 33 adapted to engage the cross member 21, and an upper inward slanting face 34 over which the member 27 may slide downward. The end of the wedge 32 is continued upward to form a tongue 35. The upper end of the wedge 32 is also provided with two projecting lugs 31, which are bent inward to afford stops for a purpose hereinafter described. A spring 38 normally holds the latch 28 pressed outward in the position shown in Figure 2 with the shoulder 33 engaging the member 21. The point of engagement of the member 21 with the shoulder 33 is offset relative to the pivot 3| of latch 28, so that an upward force tending to lift the head will swing the latch 28 about its pivot 3| and withdraw the shoulder 33 from contact with member 21, allowing the head 25 to lift up and swing about its pivot 26. A trigger 40 comprising a bifurcated member is formed with a lip 42 at its closed end 4|. The opposite ends'4'3 of. member 40 are connected by a saddle 44 which may be formed integrally with the member 40 or fastened thereto by suitable means, for example, by welding. The saddle 44 is provided with a circular opening 45 of a size sufiiciently large to permit the free passage of a screw 53 to be presently described. The trigger 40 is pivoted intermediate its ends on pins 46 which are let into the head 25. Springs 4T are arranged to press upward the saddle end of trigger 40, which brings the closed end 4| with its associated lip 42 downward into engaging relation with the tongue 35 and lugs 3"! of latch 28, when the head 25 is in the closed position shown in Figure 2. A cross member 48 is secured by suitable means, here shown as rivets 49, within the head 25 at a point substantially over the center of the rolls I4 and H. An adjusting screw 59, of substantial length, is threaded into the cross member 48, and projects loosely through the aperture 45 in the saddle 44. The screw 50 extends downward through the cross member 48 and into contact with spring I9. The cross member 48 is shaped like an inverted U, the arms of the U acting as guides for the spring IS.

A pin 5| is let into an aperture 5 in the screw 50 near the upper end thereof and projects radially of the screw a substantial distance. handle 55 which may be T-shaped as illustrated is formed with a tubular projection 58 positioned substantially at the center of the handle and projecting perpendicularly from the under side of said handle. The bore 51 of said tube 56 is made sufiiciently large so that the tube may be slipped loosely over the screw 50, while the walls of said tube are made sufficiently thick soas to prevent the tube from passing through the aperture 45 in the saddle 44. The tube 56 isprovided with two longitudinal slots 58 positioned diametrically opposite each other and extending substantially the length of the tube. An aperture 59 sufiiciently large to permit the free passage of the tube 56 therethrough is provided in the head 25.

In forming the handle 55, the words Strike to release or the equivalent. are preferably cast or stamped in the upper surface thereof.

In assembling, the screw 50 is passed into the bore of the tube 56 and the pin 5| inserted through a slot 58 into the aperture 5| in the screw. The pin 5| is positioned so that it projects radially from screw 50 substantially equally at both sides so that the end portions of the pin 5| engage both slots 58. The handle 55 is thus free to move longitudinally with respect to screw 50, but rotation of the handle 55 rotates the screw 50 through the medium of the pin 5| and slots 58. The screw 50 and handle extension 56 are passed through the aperture 59 in head 25. The screw 50 is passed through the aperture in the saddle 44, with the handle tube 56 resting on the saddle 44. The screw is then threaded into the cross member 48 by turning the handle 55.

Operation The head 25 is pushed down into place, the member 21 contacting the slanting face 34 of latch 28, forcing the latch inward against the action of spring 38. The tongue 35 catches under lip 42 of trigger 40 and holds it upward until the member 21 passes below the shoulder 33 of wedge 32, when the spring 38 forces the latch 28 outward, the shoulder 33 then sliding over the member 21. At the same time tongue 35 is moved outward from under trigger lip 42, the trigger moves downward through the action of springs 41 until the lip 42 comes to rest on the lugs 31. The trigger lip 42 is then in the position shown in Figure 2, holding the latch 28 in the outward position by contact with the tongue 35. Handle is nowturned and the screw 50, being driven through the pin 5| and slots 58, is screwed down to compress the spring [9. The rolls l4 and H are thus pressed into operating contact, the amount of pressure between the rolls being adjustable through the medium of the handle 55 and screw 50; To release the rolls, the handle 55- is pressed or struck downward, Because of the pin and slotconnection between the handle 55 and the screw 50, the handle is capable of longitudinal movement relative to the screw. The downward movement of the handle 55 forces the end of tube 56 down on the trigger saddle 44. Trigger 4D is rocked about its pivot pins 46 and the lip 42 is lifted out of holding relation with tongue 35 of latch 28. Because of the offset contact of member 21 and shoulder 33 with relation to latch pivot 3|, the upward force of the head 25' due to the'pressure of spring l9 upward on screw'50, causes the upper end 32 of latch 28 to rock inward, withdrawing the shoulder 33 from contact with member 21, thus unlocking the head 25, which is allowed to move upward and release the pressure between the rolls I4 and [1.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the construction and arrangement of parts will occur to those skilled in the art without violating the spirit of my invention, and I therefore desire to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spring tensioning and safety release means for a clothes wringer having a pair of rolls supported in a frame, a spring for pressing said rolls into operative contact, and a head releasably secured to said frame by a latch for holding said spring in roll-loading position, comprising in combination, a screw for loading said spring, a. handle loosely mounted on said screw to permit moving said handle axially of said screw, means for coupling said handle to said screw for transmitting rotary movement therebetween, at rigger normally holding said latch. in engaged position with said head, and means associated with said handle for tripping said trigger and, releasing said latch and head when said handle is moved downward longitudinally of said screw.

2'. A safety release and tensioning device for a wringer having a frame, a pair of rolls supported in said frame, a spring for pressing said rolls into operative engagement, and locking means operatively connected with said frame for releasably maintaining said spring under tension, comprising in combination, an adjusting screw mounted in said frame and adapted to place said spring under tension, a trip member mounted adjacent the lower portion of said screw and operatively connected with said looking means 'for releasing the same, a handle loosely mounted on said screw so as to permit said handle to move axially of said screw, said handle being provided with a boss adapted to engage said trip means when said handle is moved downward axially of said screw, and means connecting said handle with said screw adapted to transmit rotational movement of said handle to turn said screw, whereby rotational movement of said handle turns said screw to adjust the tension of said spring, while downward axial movement of said handle actuates the trip member to release the locking means, thereby relieving the tension of said spring.

3.. A safety release and tensioning device for a wringer having a frame, a pair of rolls supported in said frame, a movable top bar pivoted at one end to said frame, locking means located at the opposite end for releasably locking said top bar in position, a tensioning spring mounted within said movable top bar and adapted to press said rolls into operative relation to each other, and an adjusting screw mounted vertically in said top bar and adapted to place said spring under tension, comprising in combination, a trip member mounted in said top bar operatively connected to said locking means for releasing the same, a handle provided with an elongated hollow boss adapted to slide axially of said screw and to contact said trip member, and means for connecting said handle to said screw adapted to transmit rotational movement of said handle to said screw while permitting free axial relative movement therebetween, whereby rotational movement of said handle tensions said spring and downward axial movement of said handle operates said trip member to unlock said top bar and release the tension of said spring.

THOMAS J. LITLE, JR- 

